Wheel.



A. L. W. BEGG..

WHEEL.

APPLICATION mio sanza. 1916.

19242,@41 Patented. 0st. 9, 1917.

ALEXANDER L. W. BEGG, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

/ Application led September 26, 1916.I Serial No. 122,18.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER L. W. BEGG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is a specication.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improvement in the construction of wheels used on vehicles of various forms, in which the tread member is not itself of a resilient character, but is connected with the inner portion of the 'wheel by means that will furnish the desired high degree of resiliency; whereby Aa large amount of flexibility as well as elasticity .is produced; and where the resilient member is formed of a pneumatic device, the puncture and injury of such member is avoided.

ln the drawing illustrating embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 1s a transverse section taken radially through the half portion of the wheel. Fig. 2 is a section showing one of the disks and the ring member passing therethrough. Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view of some of the parts shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 shows'a fragmental elevation, partly broken away of a modification. Fig. 5 is a transverse radial section reduced of the structure of Fig. 4:, and Fig. 6 shows another modification.

This invention comprises essentially a hub, a`roadengaging member that is pref,- erably of a form semi-circular in cross-section and suitably connected with the hub at its side edges; while inside of the road-engaging member are located a large number of tread members of a cylindrical nature that are apertured,` and through all of which passes a circumferentially extending member of a ring form; the disks being movable inwardly toward the axis but sliding on the ring member.

ln the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, provide a hub V to ,which is suitably secured a pair of side plates D'D. To the outer edges or margins of the plates D is secured a road-engaging member in the form of a shoe S semi-circular in cross-section that may be formed of a rubber fabric such. as is used on pneumatic tires for the outer member, and which is shown as secured by bolts m.

Between the inner margins of the side plates D is secured an annular structure A semi-circular in cross-section of suitable airtight fabric such as rubber cloth, that will form a pneumatic chamber B with the side plaltgs D that can be controlled by a valve K.

e close a chamber that is circular in section, in which is placed a series of disk members C. These disks havev an aperture F vof a rectangular form as shown in Fig. impart suitable rigidity to the disks and shoe S and the fabric A thereby in,-y

yet permit their free inward movement when the shoe strikes an obstruction, I provide a circumferentially extending annular member such as a ring R passing through the apertures F as clearly shown in Figs. l and 3.

It is also desirable to provide truss members extending across between the margins of the side plates D and as shown l provide a series of bars 'l extending across that may be secured to plates D by. the

bolts fm. lf desired the ring R may be secured to the bars T by bolts e as shown to furnish greater strength and solidity.

With this arrangement it will be seen that when the shoe S is depressed by engaging with the road or an obstruction the adjacent disk C will be deflected toward the hub and tend to assume the position indicatedv by the circle A. This will cause an inward deiection of the fabric A and thereby compress the air chamber and bring the resiliency thereof into action.

It will be understood that the disk will slide on the ring R at its aperture F to assume'this position and when the pressure.

is removed on the tread the disk will be forced Aback to its former position and restore the shape of the shoe. It will be understood that the cross bars T extend free between the disks and will not interfere with .the radial movement.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, l provide a somewhat sim'lar arrangement of hub V', side plates D', shoe S', disk C, and ring R. lnstead of the pneumatic chamber l provide radial extending coil springs on their outer end engaging an articulated band d that is pressed by the springs against the series of disks C. In this arrangement the compression of the shoe will move one or more disks inwardly that .will slide on'the ring R and deflect the band d to compress one or more of the springs N. This produces the same edect as in the other form without the employment of an air chamber.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 6 in which disks C2 are placed between a shoe S2 and a pneumatic chamber W. The disks in this form extend circumferentially and each has two apertures F2 and are shown as arranged in a double row in staggered form. In this structure the circumferentially extending ring member is in the form of a coil R2 that passes around the air chamber W and through the apertures F2 of the disks. The operation of this arrangement is similar to that of the other forms described. Compression of the tread will move the disks inwardly to compress the air chamber, the disks sliding on the ring member.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat ll claim is l. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of side plates, an air-tight fabric connecting theymargins of the plates and extending inwardly whereby to constitute an annular closed chamber, and a tread portion formed of a series of independently movable loop members of a cylindrical. form that engage said fabric side plates.

2. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of side plates, an air-tight fabric connecting the marginsA of the plates and extending inwardly whereby topconstitute an annular portion and project beyond the lclosed chamber, a tread portion formed of a series of independently movable loop members of a cylindrical form that engage said fabric portion and project beyond the side j plates, and a circumferentially extending ring member projecting through the said loop members.

3. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of side plates, an air-tight fabric connecting the margins of the plates and extending inwardly whereby to constitute an annular closed chamber, a tread portion formed of a series of independently movable members of a cylindrical form that engage said fabric portion and project beyond the side plates, a vseries of bars connecting the edges of the plates, and a circumferentially er@n tending .ring member located between the bars and the inner part of the tread portionand rigidly secured to the bars.

4. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of side plates, an air-tight fabric connecting the margins of the plates and extending inwardly whereby to constitute an annular closed chamber, a tread portion formed of a series of independently movable loop members of a cylindrical form that engage said fabric portion and project beyond the side plates, a series of bars connecting the edges of the plates, and a circumferentially j i extending ring member located between the bars and the inner part of the tread portion and projecting through the loop ymembers.

5. A wheel comprising a hub, an annular compressible air chamber, a tread portion formed of a series of independent disks' that engage the air chamber, a ring member passing through said disks to permit inde-v pendent movement of'such members on inward deflection, and a road-engaging mem ber of fabric inclosing said disks.

6. A wheel comprising a hub, a resilient supporting member connecting with the hub, la tread portion engaging the resilient member and formed of a series of independent disks, an annular member projecting `through said disks permitting inward dede'flection thereof, and a road-engaging member of fabric engaging the disks.

7. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of side plates, a road-engaging member of fabric secured to the margins of said plates, a series of apertured disks engaging the inner face of said fabric, resilient means between the disks and the hub permitting inn ward deflection of the disks independently,

and a vcircumferentially extending ring 

